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London is positively bursting at the seams with unmissable cultural events this month. The London Film Festival is well underway, with hyped films like Frankenstein, Hamnet and No Other Choice all making their UK debuts; esteemed contemporary art fair Frieze London has begun; Black History Month is being marked by book festivals, orchestra showcases and exhibitions and London Literature Festival is kicking off in the coming weeks with appearances from Zadie Smith, Malala Yousafzai, Reese Witherspoon and more.
With all those things going on, it’s only natural to feel a bit of FOMO, especially if your wallet doesn’t stretch quite far enough to cover them all. The good news is that there are almost as many brilliant events happening across the city that are completely free of charge.
From DJ nights at the BFI and an ultimate celebrations of all things chocolate to a free art trail and Diwali festivities from east to west, here are all of the most exciting free things happening in London over the next three days.
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The best free things to do in London this weekend, October 17-19
1. Celebrate movie-making at the London Film Festival
The London Film Festival is touted as the most accessible of the world’s big film festivals for good reason. Besides the glitzy galas and buzzed premieres, there’s a bunch of free, unticketed stuff on the programme worth checking out. There’s the Games Lounge at LFF Expanded where you can play video games from around the world, the exhibition of costumes, props and photography from the first instalment of Wicked and ‘Future Botanica’, an interactive installation exploring AI and the future of the natural world. Free film inspired DJ nights will also take over the BFI bar from 9pm on Friday and Saturday evening. A night dedicated to the legends of classic American rock (inspired by the new Bruce Springsteen biopic) is happening on Friday, and a musical celebration based on the film The Eyes of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah’s Pan-African vision is happening on Saturday.
BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XT. Until Oct 19.
2. See Greenwich Peninsula burst with colour for Diwali
For the biggest holiday in the Hindu calendar, Greenwich Peninsula will come alive with South Asian inspired dance, music, food and creative workshops. Look out for dancing led by Garba performers and Dhol drummers, lantern-making workshops, Dandiya stick decoration, Bollywood DJ sets and a curated street food market serving authentic South Asian dishes and festive snacks. As night falls, there’ll also be a procession led by an illuminated rickshaw, four Dhol drummers and 10 Garba dancers in traditional costume, leading everyone to a group dance under a canopy of lights.
Peninsula Square, SE10. Sat Oct 18. 2pm-7pm.
3. Or mark the Festival of Lights at Marble Hill House
Way over on the other side of the city, there’ll be free Diwali celebrations at Twickenham's Marble Hill House too. This 18th century villa sits right on the banks of the Thames, making it a beautiful backdrop for free festivities that include illuminations, Dhol drumming, Bhangra, Kathak and Bollywood dance workshops, and a parade with giant puppets. Trucks serving street food, drinks and sweet treats
Marble Hill House, Richmond Rd, TW1 2NL. Sat Oct 18 2pm-7pm.
4. Admire enormous installations at Frieze Sculpture
The mighty Frieze London and Frieze Masters art fairs kicked off this week. And while admission to the festival itself costs a pretty penny, you can feel involved for free by heading to Regent’s Park to see Frieze Sculpture. The public can snake around massive sculptures curated by Fatoş Üstek, based on the theme of ‘In the Shadows’. With work from artists like Assemble, Elmgreen & Dragset, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Erwin Wurm, they engage with the idea of darkness from many perspectives, whether that's inner darkness or the interplay between light and obscurity.
Regent’s Park, NW1 4NR. Until Nov 2.
5. Embrace the chill at NT’s Loft Winter Launch Party
Night Tales Loft isn’t allowing you to give in to the winter blues. As the nights draw in, the East London bar is throwing a bash to welcome in the cold season. This heated roof loft space is hotting up just as the weather cools down, with DJs all night and a new cocktail menu. Book your free spot and you'll get free pizza and drinks from 5-7pm, plus plenty of opportunities to dance with views right over the city.
14 Bohemia Place, E8 1DU. Friday Oct 17 5pm-2.30am.
6. Eat chocolate all day at Big Penny Social
Jennifer Earle has been leading chocolate tours and tastings around London and beyond for the past 20 years. This weekend she’ll be celebrating those two decades dedicated to the dark stuff with a big knees up for cocoa-holics from up and down the UK. Chocolatiers, bakers, patissiers, distillers and more will be congregating at Walthamstow's Big Penny Social for a one-day-only fest all about ethically sourced choc. There'll be chocolate making demonstrations, tasting sessions and ample chances to sink your teeth into filled chocs, baked goods, ice creams and more.
1 Priestley Way, E17 6AL. Sat Oct 18 10am-4.30pm.
Start planning for the festive season with our roundups of the best things to do in November and December.
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